The office of Canadian Health Minister Rona Ambrose released the following statement today (June 24) in response to the City of Vancouver passing a council motion that provides for the regulation of stores selling medicinal marijuana.

As Health Minister, I am deeply disappointed by the City of Vancouver’s decision to 'regulate' illegal marijuana storefronts across the city.

Marijuana is neither an approved drug nor medicine in Canada and Health Canada does not endorse its use. While Canadian courts have required the Government to allow access to marijuana when authorized by a physician, the law is clear that this must be done in a controlled fashion to protect public health and safety.

The evidence is clear that when youth smoke marijuana they have increased risks of mental health issues including psychosis and schizophrenia. The City’s own medical officials predict that dispensaries will make marijuana cookies and candies more accessible to youth.

Marijuana storefronts form part of Justin Trudeau’s plan to make smoking marijuana a normal, everyday activity and make it available in stores across Canada just like alcohol and cigarettes. This Conservative Government wants to stop kids from smoking marijuana and we do not support making access to illegal drugs easier.

According to the Canadian Drug Use Monitoring Survey, marijuana use by youth has dropped by almost 45% since 2004 thanks to our efforts to educate families. This same survey reported that while 20% of youth smoked marijuana in 2012, 70% drank alcohol. Regulating marijuana in the same manner could mean as much as tripling its use by youth.

These stores have absolutely no regard for the rule of law and have been caught selling marijuana to kids – they represent Justin Trudeau's vision for Canadian neighbourhoods from coast to coast to coast.

Storefronts selling marijuana are illegal and under this Conservative Government will remain illegal.

60 Comments

mason

MatthewE

Jun 24, 2015 at 2:09pm

"Regulating marijuana in the same manner [as alcohol] could mean as much as tripling its use by youth."

Not according to the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, whose report , "Cannabis: Our Position for a Canadian Public Policy," should be required reading for every MP and health and safety bureaucrat.

"Without criminal prohibition, we were told, cannabis consumption might well explode out of control. The underlying hypothesis, rarely stated explicitly, that criminalizing drugs contributes effectively to reducing their use, has never been demonstrated, however. Quite the contrary, as this chapter will show, available data tend to demonstrate that prohibitionist policies have little impact on levels of use or availability of drugs."

Paul Allard

Barry William Teske

Jun 24, 2015 at 2:54pm

Oh look Rona Ambrose like every other conservative these last 8 years is responding to the party base.I see Vancouver Coastal Health is too...can anyone say 'chocolate flavoured' Ex-Lax?So what is up with the myth that these officials are there for everybody?Elected or representative are they of who exactly?They obviously do not represent the whole of Canadians nor Vancouverites, only those that side with their dogma otherwise known as the riche$t of the $tatus quo.So remember to consider carefully where your tax dollars go Canada!Your standing in life and who you stand with depends upon it.

jas

iamhellsangel

Jun 24, 2015 at 4:30pm

Oh rona ya ditchpig!!..This gov.sells tobacco and Booze.....Biggest sending on Hellth care .Then lives lost ,famlies ruined by Booze,I see kids 14yrs old smoking CIGS and they ask me to get em...NOPE..I'd give em bud be the CIGS ....she is no rocket scientist.....sumone told her she waz smart....fart smeller she is....now STFU and sit down...

HM

Jun 24, 2015 at 4:35pm

Why does Rona Ambrose keep making it about youth? What about the millions of adults who want to use it responsibly? If we are so concerned about the youth why do we give all of them equal access to education, by making the equivalent of a bachelors degree tuition free?

Trigger76

Jun 24, 2015 at 4:38pm

It's funny how people don't blink when they mention cigarettes and booze. But add pot into a sentence and the world is ending. Booze and smokes cause more deaths then smoking or ingesting pot ever did.My mother had cancer and the only thing that gave her any appetite or energy was when we gave her THC pills. As a society we need to take a good look at what we deem " proper and right" if it helps people cope then let them have it.People who say pot is a "gateway" drug are nuts. The only people who go on to do other heavier drugs do so on thier own. Not because the pot told them to do it!Good on Vancouver for making a choice and being open minded. Not like all the one stuck in the stigma.

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